Singing her last song
by wishinonastar
Summary: Brooke and Nathan have a rocky relationship. Then she begins to receive what can only be described as love letters from Lucas. More explanation inside. HIATUS
1. Ugly duckling turned Belle of the Ball

Yeah so i should be updating my other story, the higher you are the further you fall, and i havent because ive been ill and had so much going on. But i had this idea and loved it, had to write it down.

So please review even if you don't lke it, i love to know people are reading my stories.

**Author: **Hannah

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything, unless I make up a character later on in the story, in which case it's mine!

**Summary: **Brooke and Nathan are in, let's just say a rocky relationship. When she starts receiving love letters from someone she's sure is Lucas, her mind starts to wander...

**Author's Note:Please review this and give it a chance!**

**Singing her last song**

Chapter 1 - Ugly duckling turned belle of the ball.

Brooke Davis was the most popular girl at Tree Hill High, and of course head cheerleader. He boyfriend was the most popular guy in the school and head of the basketball team, the Mr Nathan Scott. To outsiders it looked as though she had the perfect life. Now it was anything but.

In the summer before 8th grade, Brooke Davis had been a chubby, spotty girl with braces and a rich mommy and daddy. Over the summer she lost her puppy fat, learnt how to put make-up on and went out shopping. She also became best friends with the new girl, Peyton Sawyer. By the time the year had started, Brooke was in her stride.

That first day she walked into school was the best of her life. Older boys stared at her, and the popular girls from her grade glared. Brooke, in her Chloé top and skirt with Prada shoes was in her element. She'd never felt that good, and with her new best friend beside her she felt she could take on the world. So she did.

First on her list was a hot boyfriend. Brooke had charmed her science teacher by flashing a little more leg, and come out of it with a 'note' for Coach Whitey. Delivering this meant a walk through the boy's locker room. As she entered, there were whistles from every direction. She walked up to the first guy she properly saw, tapped him on the back, flashed a gorgeous smile and asked where Whitey's office was. This guy, not that she knew it yet, was to be her boyfriend for the remainder of High school, or almost.

Nathan knew a hot girl when he saw one, and one was standing right in front of his eyes. He looked her up and down, and couldn't place where he'd ever seen her before. She must have been new. He'd never have let her walk past him if he'd seen her before. She'd have been his. Like a true gentleman, he walked her to the office, and he found she wasn't just a pretty face with a goddamn gorgeous body; she respected herself and was clever. As he watched her leave the locker room, he knew that in no time she'd be his. Whatever Nathan Scott wanted was whatever Nathan Scott got.

They soon became the hottest couple of the school. Brooke took over as cheer captain, and Nathan was promoted to captain of the basketball team. Nathan gave Brooke whatever she wanted, and she really was the happiest girl alive. One night she was with Nathan, the next a girly sleepover with Peyton and then the weekend could be spent in London, Paris or Milan. Peyton had bagged herself the second hottest guy in the school, Jake Jagielski, and the four of them often went out on double dates.

Over the years, Brooke's status grew and at the same time, Nathan became bitter. His father, Dan Scott was pushing him to be the greatest at basketball to fulfil the dream that Dan could never conquer. Nathan was succeeding until he found out he had a half-brother Lucas. Lucas could also play basketball, and he was good at it too. Now Nathan was competing to be the best and competing for his father.

Nathan kept his captaincy but he always had Lucas snapping at his heels. The first time Lucas scored more points than Nathan in a game, he was livid.

"_Get in the car," his gruff voice startled her. She'd never felt scared with Nathan, he was her protector, but he sounded different, "I said get in the car!"_

"_I'm coming, I'm coming! Baby, you know it's hard to walk in these shoes," Brooke started to charm Nathan, it had worked ever since the beginning. But today was different._

"_Get your hands off me, I am not in the mood. If you can't walk in those goddamn shoes then buy some you can walk in."_

"_But I like these shoes Natey. Why should I buy some new ones?"_

"_Well, you bought everything else haven't you?"_

"_No I haven't. I haven't; bought everything, what are you taking about?"_

_There was silence, and then_

"_You bought me." Brooke gasped, where had that come from? "You know what I mean, don't play dumb. I know before you started 8th grade you were a fatty, spotty nobody. So with your daddy's credit card you bought a new you. Therefore you bought me. You'd never have been good enough for me otherwise." Brooke couldn't believe what he had just said. She'd told him about her pre-8th grade life, but not for him to throw it back in her face. _

"_Well, you're obviously used to being bought, Dan does it enough."_

_He slammed the door shut as he got out of the car. His eyes were so cold, and she knew she could not break through the barrier. _

_It was then she noticed the warm trickle of blood dripping out of her nose and into her mouth. She tried to stem the flow, but to no avail, blood seeped out al over the cream seats. Nathan had hit her. Her boyfriend, who could do no wrong._

He had only hit her twice. That was the first time. The second time was a whole lot scarier, and it was also in front of other people……

_Brooke and Nathan, Peyton and Jake, and Tim had spent a great evening in a night club. Brooke was feeling a little tipsy so she stepped outside. She was having fun, and ever since that night after the game, Nathan had been the sweetest boyfriend in the world. He'd said he didn't want to lose her; it was the pressure of having a brother you hated and a fathering whose eyes you could never do anything right. Brooke forgave him ,and the last few weeks had been bliss. _

_Back inside the club, Peyton and Jake were dancing and Nathan and Tim watched Brooke exit the building. The two of them weren't exactly sober either,_

"_Oh my! Brooke is so totally fine! And so good in the you know what department, she knows what to do to a guy! And, well, I should know…" Tim was joking but by the look in Nathan's eyes he saw the joke was not appreciated - Nathan suddenly leapt up, scattering bar stools and people everywhere, on a search to find Brooke. _

_Tim rushed onto the dance floor to find Peyton and Jake in the sea of people. By the time they got outside, Nathan was holding Brooke against a wall with his hand around her throat. She had blood dripping from her lips and was sobbing uncontrollably, telling Nathan she hadn't done anything wrong,_

"_Nathan, what I just said, it was a joke man, I didn't think you'd take it seriously, look it's me the Tim-man. Come on Nate." Tim added when he realised Nathan's hold was not getting any looser._

"_Yeah, Nathan, come on, please just let go of Brooke." Jake's soothing voice seemed to calm Nathan down, although Peyton was crying madly next to him. Nathan slowly lowered his arm and Brooke held her neck, gasping for air. For what seemed like forever, the 5 of them were silent, until Brooke finally spoke._

"_You really think I'd cheat on you baby? And she left him standing there…_

Ever since that night, there had been a huge chasm between the two of them that only seemed to be getting wider. Nobody ever mentioned what they saw again. It was all behind closed doors.

Her and Nathan still did coupley things, they made out and were often happy in each others company. But they never talked like they used to and both Brooke and Nathan missed that. Nathan would never hold Brooke in his arms and talk about the future like he had used to. Both of them missed it, but neither of them would say anything.

Peyton often asked her why she stayed with him. The simple answer was that she loved him but she wasn't sure what love was anymore. To the hottest couple in the school, love seemed to be keeping up appearances, looking good and smiling in public. They were perfectly suited, both of them knew that for sure. They both had rich families - put together, the Davis and the Scott family probably owned and controlled most of Tree Hill – and they were both gorgeous. But Brooke didn't know anything about Nathan of late, she didn't know how he was getting on with Dan, she didn't know if he had tried to build bridges with Lucas, although she highly doubted that, judging by how he behaved at school. She could bet on it that he didn't know she hadn't seen her parents for 9 months, that they'd moved to California. He didn't know how lonely she felt at night, when she closed her bedroom door and let the silence of the night engulf her. He didn't know how she was growing apart from Peyton, whose perfect relationship with Jake meant Brooke couldn't tell her anything anymore.

Brooke would always say she loved Nathan. She would swear it. But at the moment, the meaning of love was hazy in her mind.

**ugh please review thanks!**

**xxx**


	2. Rivalry

Thanks for all reviews, I'm loving them!

I am sorry it has been so long, but I've been abroad and I have exams and stuff. These chapters are quite short, hopt you don't mind too much.

Ooh and also, I have to warn you this story may not have a happy ending. And it may not end up with Brooke and Nathan. Tell me your thoughts about it!

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Chapter 2-

It was another Friday night and naturally, Brooke and Nathan had been invited to some party or other. Eager to look good, for herself and for Nathan, Brooke had been out shopping. But when Nathan came to pick her up, he didn't even notice.

"Hey baby, notice anything special about me?" Brooke was wearing a Dolce and Gabana number, the raunchy label she loved.

"Erm, you cut your hair again?" Nathan wasn't really listening. Basketball practice that day had been disastrous, Lucas had beaten him two out of two. In the end, Nathan shoulder barged Lucas, but was exiled and told to go take a cold shower. It was the worst humiliation possible, mad eten times worse by Lucas' pitying face. Nathan shuddered whenever he thought about him, thinking he was so good, with his precious mommy and precious River Court. But he wasn't.

"Natey? Didn't you notice? I got a new dress, just for you." Nathan looked up. Brooke looked beautiful as usual, but with the bad mood he was in, he wasn't going to compliment her.

"Don't you think it's a little tarty, slutty, trashy?" Brooke was visibly upset by his words, he could tell by the way her dimples disappeared suddenly, but he couldn't help it, "I'm sorry, look, you know you look great, but I just wish you didn't think you had to impress me all of the time and I don't want to share you with other guys." Nathan smiled sweetly and genuinely, and Brooke's heart melted. He was such a sweetie under all those layers, it was just hard to get through sometimes.

"Right then baby, let's get going, AND I'll even let you choose out of all my Cd's!" Nathan chuckled. Brooke's C.D collection contained Kelly Clarkson, Usher, NSync, complete with their Greatest Hits, of course. Not the choices he's necessarily choose. He'd often tried to sneak some of his own C.D's into the car to catch her out, but somehow his always ended up back in his own car along with a few more of Brooke's added in for good measure.

"Okay okay, we'll listen to some of your music, but I really am bored of your limited cd collection, I eman come on Brooke, we've listened to Kelly Clarkson qaround 500 times!"

"Well… never fear, brooke's here! Just for you, I bought a new cd!" Nathan's spirits rose, could Brooke have, for once, bought a cd for him? Maybe the Arctic Monkey's? Or We Are Scientists? "It's Chris Brown!" Nathan's hopes plummeted just as quickly as they had risen. Just by looking at the cd case, he knew it was not what he wanted.

"Look, I give in. You put some of that r'n'b stuff in, but I'm driving!"

It was a good job Nathan had insisted, because Brooke bopped the whole of they way to the party, and Nathan, after the length of their relationship, knew that it was not safe for Brooke to dance and drive.

They arrived at the party fashionably late, or at least that was the intention until Brooke had rung Nathan at 7, his original pick up time and postponed until 8 at least. So in the end, they were very very late, but it wasn't as if anybody noticed.

The couple headed over to where Peyton and Jake were standing; and they were accompanied by Tim, Theresa, Bevin and a few others. None of them looked especially happy to be there, though Tim was trying to liven things up. Their faces considerably brightened when they saw Brooke and Nathan- they were notorious for getting a party started.

"Hey my man Nathan, it is mighty fine to see you here!" Nathan smirked.

"All it needed was a hey man, that would have done fine."

"Whatever my man, but the reason I'm so mighty glad to see you is because this party bombed, it's a washout, it sucks…"

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean."

"Well I'm not even sure if you, the man of all parties, is going to be able to get this aprty started."

Just at that moment, as if on cue, the door swung open, revealing two lone figures on the doorstep. They both looked embarrassed having the attention of everybody in the room, not like the two before them who had revelled in it.

"You know what Tim, I think you wish just came true." Nathan started to walk to the centre of the room, but Brooke grabbed hold of his arm. She knew exactly what would happen if Nathan got anywhere near Lucas.

"Don't do anything stupid, please Nathan, all I wanted was for us to have a nice night out together, but if you go up to him now that will be completely spoiled."

"Don't worry baby, I got everything under control." Brooke wanted to believe him, she really did. After all, he was her boyfriend. But he had a look in his eye, and he started to do his cocky swagger, something she'd come to hate over the years. But now, now it was too late to stop him.

"Well well well, if it isn't the prodigal son."

"I don't thin you got the meaning quite right there, you're implying I'm a waster, especially of money, and I never got any of that." Nathan looked shocked, even hurt for a moment. Maybe it was guilt or maybe he had just been caught offguard. He soon regained his fake persona again.

"My, my, my, mommy did teach you well. Shame she didn't teach you how to be a better goldigger, she's the champion at that."

Nathan knew he'd hit the jackpot. The whole room knew he'd hit the jackpot. Brooke simply wished Lucas could be a man and walk away. In the end, it was too much to hope for.

Fists flew with yelps of pain, and until Brooke stepped in, it looked like there would be no way of it stopping. Brooke tried to pull on Nathan's shoulder whilst Jake headed for Lucas. Tim of course was having to good a time shouting 'Fight fight fight!' at the top of his voice. Suddenly, and without warning, Nathan swung round and hit Brooke square in the face.

The room fell silent. Even Tim's cheers faded away. Nathan's face crumpled as he ran towards Brooke's frail body which from the force of his fist had been thrown backwards into a cabinet and then onto the floor.

"Oh my baby, I am so so sorry. I thought it was Jake or someone behind me…"

"Don't worry Nathan. It's not like you haven't done it before."

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So there we go

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	3. You'll never be

Hey so thanks for all the reviews I really did love them.

And I got different opinions as well which is always nice lol

So here we gooo…. And this a different side of Nathan.

And im sorry if I have already mentioned dan and deb. But im completely crossing out what I said and now WHATS IN THIS CHAPTER IS RIGHT. Hehe yeah.

oh and I warn you, this is fluffy and cheesy.

And uh also I have been a while but I've had exams all week ((which was like the hottest week of the year))) and so ive been revising. Typical me though I have got a major tan and have no idea what ui wrote on any of the tes papers.

Ohohhhhhh

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Chapter 3 – You'll never be.

The Monday after the party, everybody was talking about what had Brooke had said. The gossip had spread fast, until now even the freshmen knew exactly what was said at that party, even though none of their friends or acquaintances had been there.

It had shocked everybody, their start basketball player beating up his perfect cheerleader girlfriend. It couldn't be true, could it? Then again, stranger things had happened in Tree Hill.

Just recently Deb, Nathan's mother had disappeared. No-one knew how, or where she had gone. Just that one day she had been seen, the next she had not. Nathan's father had tried to keep things on the down-low, but Tree Hill was a small town, and a missing person was not easily looked over.

Back to the Monday morning, and Brooke Davis was making her usual high-profile entrance into the school. But this day was different, and it didn't take a genius to work out why. Brooke was receiving sympathetic looks. This hadn't happened for years. Brooke knew she'd done a good job on her make-up, she knew it. There was no trace of a black eye apart from her bloodshot eye which still hadn't recovered. She had her favourite fake bright-eyed smile across her face, the one that got her through many a dark time.

But this time it just didn't seem to do the job.

Brooke couldn't decide whether people were getting smarter or she was getting tireder. In any case, the pity glances were coming thick and fast.

She hadn't seen Nathan since Saturday night. He hadn't called, so she simply didn't call him. Brooke figured he must be angry at her for telling the whole of the party about what he'd done, and consequently the whole of the freaking town knew about it. The story would circulate for months, it wasn't like those stories about the latest girl to go up a dress size, which would disappear as soon as the next story came along.

No. This was different.

She didn't know what to do. More than anything she'd wanted to call him, and many a time she'd typed in all the numbers but one. Then however, she'd chicken out. He'd start arguing, that was the way he was. Like father like son. And Brooke had been to enough family dinners to work that one out. Not seeing him, the other option, which was the one currently in progress, may be even more damaging than the first. Not seeing him would make it all the more difficult for later on. It seemed however that the decision would be made for her.

Nathan never turned up for school and he missed basketball practise, something Brooke knew he never did, not even for her. The girl he supposedly loved.

Brooke wandered round in a daze, the same thoughts circulating round her head and giving no chance of letting any schoolwork get through to the innermost parts of her brain. After trying, the teachers finally gave up on her. Of course they knew what had gone on, walking round the corridors from one classroom to the next gave you the whole of the story around ten times over. So they left her to staring at the board. Not moving, her pupils staying in exactly the same spot.

Once leaving her morning lessons, she was left mostly alone. Apart form a couple of freshman who asked her about her weekend's activities. She managed to fend off the gullible girls with "ooh look it's heath ledger!"

At lunch, Brooke sat with Peyton, Jake and Tim as usual. They ate in a sombre silence. None of them knew quite what to say. Apart from Tim, who typically tried to keep the conversation flowing.

"So the fight was awesome wasn't it?" Tim was silenced by three glares aimed straight at his eyes. If looks could kill, well, Tim would have been dead at least six times over. His face was bewildered to say the least.

"Huh? I could not BELIEVE that British guy beat our guy!" They all breathed a sigh of relief and Tim, who after trying at his share of the conversation tucked back into his steak and chips. Eventually, after no more talking, Tim got up to go "search out some chicks" which left the three of them with a slightly easier conversation. The only problem was that it was about mundane things such as homework rather than the one thing they all wanted to talk about. After around 5 minutes, Peyton and Jake got up to leave, which left Brooke on her own with a pile of work.

Bored without even starting, her mind started to drift across the room; the lovable geeks, the stuck-up geeks, the geeks-gone-bad; the emos, the moshers, the skaters; and finally the cheerleaders, basketball players and her. Which left just one more table. The one that intrigued her the most. The one inhabitant at present looked up and caught her eye. His purple bruises reminded her of what lay beneath the inches of make-up she had applied. He smiled, and she smiled back. It seemed like the right thing to do, and it made everything so much better, just that one look.

She was grateful – at least one person understood.

Brooke managed to get through the rest of the day. Just thinking of that one smile really did make everything better. It was the sort of smile that Nathan used to give her before, before all of this.

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She arrived back home puffing and panting – her car had broken down on the way home, so she upped and left it and walked the rest of the way. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Her Jimmy Choos just weren't up for the challenge, so she'd walked across 10 blocks of steamy hot tarmac in her bare feet. She decided, understandably that she needed a long hot soak in the bath. And then she'd decide what to do about Nathan.

Brooke's big red door swung open, and she gasped in delight. Rose petals lined the corridor, and there were candles along the walls. The petals led her through the downstairs rooms and out of the back of the house. Waiting for her at the bottom of the garden was a white limousine. She stepped into it (what girl wouldn't?) and without warning the car set off, shooting Brooke into the back of the car. After finally getting comfortable she started to take in her surroundings. On the stereo was her very favourite song, This I promise you by NSync. And then on the t.v screen in front of her was her favourite show, the o.c. It was playing the best episode as well. You know, the one where Ryan arranges this really romantic hut thingy to be put up (courtesy of Seth and Summer) to say goodbye. Without warning, and just as she was getting to the good part, the limo stopped. Typical.

She waited for a few moments for the driver to open the door for her, but she soon realised he wasn't going to do anything of the sort. She stepped out of the door and found herself on the beach. With no-one in sight. The car suddenly accelerated off leaving Brooke waving her arms madly for it to stop. Unsurprisingly it didn't.

Brooke sat herself in the sand resignedly. So much for a soak in the bath. Out of the corner of her eye Brooke saw a light flash on. And then another and another. Excited by another treasure chest and the hope of finding civilization, she jumped up and started following the lights across the sand dune.

She gasped. Down below her was a gorgeous Eastern style tent with cushions and blankets surrounding it. And there, just in front of her was the most beautiful man I the world. She ran down and jumped into his arms, everything forgotten but them.

"Hey gorgeous. Recognise any of this?" Brooke looked around her. And then it hit her. It was the scene she had been watching in the limo. 

She didn't need to say anything. The size of the smile on her face said it all.

Nathan invited her to sit down and the two of them talked and laughed until the moon rose high in the sky. Brooke began to shiver so they all huddled inside the tent. He had done all of this, just for her. She'd thought Nathan had forgotten about her and was skiving off school. But none of that was true- well maybe he did skive off school, but it had all been for her. Brooke wasn't the principal so why should she care?

Although, if she was the principal she figured she'd make sure that any guy who wanted to do something sweet for his girlfriend could have all the time he needed. And there'd be a cake stall in the cafeteria, obviously. Selling those little cakes which had icing an a cherry on the top. They always came in cute little boxes, just like the little Tupperware boxes she had stored away at home, just in case her mum came home and needed them. Thinking of the word Tupperware, she really did like it. It just rolled of the tongue. TUP-PER-WARE. The tupper bit was the best without a doubt.

"What are you thinking about at this moment in time?"

"UH, well," Brooke had kind of gone off on one just like she always did "Well, just then I was thinking about tupperware and how it's such a nice word," Brooke heard Nathan stifle a giggle, "But it all led on from you, I promise." Nathan smiled.

"Uh, Brooke, I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not."

"Compliment. Definitely."

"Is that so?" Brooke replied indignantly that it was and they both started to chuckle, giggle, until they were in hysterics – Brooke was in tears and Nathan couldn't breathe. After all this, the mood turned sombre. They both knew that if they wanted the relationship to work then they had to talk. Properly. About each other. One of them had to be the first to leap in and ask a question.

"I haven't seen my parents in 9 months." Brooke said bluntly. It wasn't a question but it was a start.

"Lucas is taking over my life."

"I can't talk to Peyton anymore."

"I'm turning into Dan."

"I'm scared Natey."

"Me too Brookie, me too." He enveloped her in his arms. They knew the ice had broken. Being so caught up in their own lives had made them forget about the other. They pushed each other away just to punish them, but in the end it just hurt themselves even more. The pain in their lives could not be dealt with alone. They needed someone to share it with. And luckily for the two of them, they had just found that person.

"Uh Nathan?" Nathan looked down at the girl in his arms. She was so beautiful, he couldn't believe he'd actually forgotten it. But he had. Those dimples in her cheeks which suddenly appeared whenever he made her happy, or laugh. And the sparkling eyes that shone for exactly the same reasons. He hadn't seen them in so long, and it was all his fault.

"Yeah beautiful?"

"So you know we've been through all these bad times, well I think we should start to look up, you know over the horizon and such. Well I think we should promise each other some things. I mean, if we're not going to keep those then what are we going to do?"

"Okayyy then."

"I'll go first seen as your cute little face looks like you don't really get what's going on. SO I want you to promise me that you will try to get along with Lucas. He can't be that bad a guy, Jake likes him, and you did just give him the biggest bruises anyone could ever ask for."

"Um look Brooke, I'll try, But he's taking over my life, soon I'll have nothing left. Oh yeah um I have one for you. I need you to promise me that you'll get in touch with your parents. You've waited for so long for them to come to you and they've waited for you to go to them. You need to stop laying that game. I've known you parents a long time, and I know they love you." Tears were now glistening in the corners of Brooke's eyes. The events that had happened before all went out of the window.

"Ok. And I can promise you something else. You will never become Dan Scott. You're too good for that. You'll never be him."

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Still short but it looks long on Word so…

I hope you liked it and understand why she has forgiven him so easily. I'm also trying to make it harder for you for when Luke comes into it properly.

Seee ya


	4. I see you, you see me

Yes, so it has been months, but it has been the busiest time ever. So sorry to anyone who is reading this fic.

Chapter 4 – I see you, you see me.

On the Tuesday morning Brooke woke up. And then went back to sleep. The memories of the night before were still fresh in her mind and they were so much better when she had her eyes closed. She'd just told Nathan she loved him ,when a giant curly haired monster came and pounced on her. So much for romance. As her blurry eyes came into focus, she quickly registered Peyton on top of her, and an uncomfortable looking Jake standing stiffly in the corner. He obviously didn't like his girl on top of someone else. And as Brooke was in a good mood, she decided to make things ten times worse for him. Pretending not to have noticed him, she pulled Peyton even closer to her, pecked her on the lips and seductively whispered in her ear.

Jake wasn't to know, but the secret whisperings weren't sweet nothings, they were

"Play along, see how long til he cracks…" Peyton giggled, after all, this wasn't a big deal to them. It wasn't like they were going to do anything. Nothing bad anyway. Brooke slipped off the camisole she wore in bed and then stripped Peyton of her vest top.

They were both now in their bras, a situation very familiar to them, but a situation very unfamiliar to poor Jake who was still stood by the door. At that moment, he was trying to convince himself that this was one of Brooke's pranks, but when they both slid under the covers and he heard noises, he couldn't take it any longer and he pulled the covers off them both.

Underneath were too hysterical girls, not making out like he had half expected them to be. He'd fallen for another of Brooke's jokes. Again.

"Oh my lord, Jake! In ever did see you there! What a surprise! You didn't see anything you shouldn't have did you?" Brooke giggled and sauntered out of her room into her bathroom.

Satisfied she had got Brooke out of bed, Peyton dragged Jake down the stairs and out of the house and the big red door. Jake was still shell shocked, and his mouth was hanging open.

Still, that was what you got for being friends with Brooke Davis.

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Brooke was still giggling by the time she'd got out of the shower, a full 59 minutes after she'd got into it. Brooke hated to have a bath. She couldn't lie or sit down still for more than 5 minutes before she had to get up and going again. It was one of the reasons she went partying. It wasn't just that it made her feel alive, though it did; the main reason was because she hated to sleep. Hated to be still. Luckily, Brooke could get away with just a few hours sleep.

Brooke danced her way down the stairs two at a time. She'd put on some very seductive clothes for Nathan that day. A button down strap top, with the minimum buttons done up. And then she had on her very favourite skirt, the pencil-type-skirt-but-short… very short. With a large split up the back. She slipped on the shoes she'd picked up just the week before, before backtracking up the driveway to get the post.

Even though they were never around, her parents insisted she take in the mail. Unfortunately for them, Brooke had the memory of a goldfish, and when, if ever, they returned, they'd find a large stack of mail overflowing the box. Sure enough, Brooke had to stagger into the house carrying them all. As tradition, like she'd used to when she was little, she checked the mail for anything that could be for her. Only, unlike when she was 8, she now had mail! She tried to stop the smile that spread across her face. Brooke ripped open the envelope, she'd never been one of those girls to open her presents slowly. No no no, she'd have them ripped open before you could say Santa Claus! And the same went for her mail. Brooke opened the letter, and on it were just a few words.

'I've seen you looking at me. I make you smile,

I see you and you see me.

Lx'

Brooke slumped on the kitchen chair that was luckily placed behind her. Yeah, maybe she'd got a lot of love letters in her life. But this one was different. It chilled her right down her spine, yet she felt warmth all the way down to her toes. Who could this person be? Brooke shook herself, why was she getting so stressed about some stupid letter? It wasn't as if it meant anything. The voice in the back of Brooke's mind spoke differently however. This was not some stupid letter. If it made her feel this way, then it had to mean something. A small smile spread across her face. An admirer; and not one of those 'Roses are red, violets are blue, until we are dead, I'll always love you.' No, this was more personal. Only someone who knew that a smile was the most important thing in the world to Brooke could have written that letter. Or was she reading too much into it? It was a love letter, from someone who liked her.

The smile Brooke had been wearing since she'd read the letter was suddenly banished from her face. Nathan. He'd been so sweet to her the night before, the best night they'd spent together. She felt more in love with him now than she ever had. SO why was she so happy over a stupid letter? Brooke put it down to tiredness and started to scrumple up the letter so she could throw it in the bin. The next thing she knew, however, she had stashed it under the loos floorboard under her bed. In such a gorgeous new house, no-one would have expected there to be loose floorboards, but when she'd been young she'd begged her daddy to loosen up the floorboards. Luckily he'd been gone so long he didn't remember this fact and so this hiding place was just for her. Brooke kept safe though and checked she knew where everything was inside them.

Brooke couldn't bear to put this letter in with all the things she'd kept from her time with Nathan, so she found a new floorboard, prised it up and shoved the letter in the hole.

When she stood back up, it seemed as though a huge light was shining out from the letter, which shone right the way through the plank of wood, and Brooke hoped no-one would notice it.

'Don't be so stupid', Brooke scalded herself. There really was no light under the board, it was just her imagination.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Brooke Penelope Davis, where the hell have you been! I woke you up almost three hours ago, and in the time that you have managed to get yourself down here, I managed to drag Jake to my house to have a cold shower, take him to Karen's to have a treat which he assured me would get him over the trauma. And finally I had to swear on the way here that if I ever did that again with you then I should tell him first, which would give him more time to prepare for what he was about to see." Peyton burst into laughter as she saw Jake go furiously red.

"I….did…not…. I wanted…."

"Oh Jakey just chill, there's no problem with wanting to see me and Pey get it on, Nate talks about it all the time-"

"Wait a minute – Brooke, what is with your slutty clothes?" Brooke smiled, paused for effect and then dropped the pen she was holding in her hand very dramatically and then bent down to pick it up. There were whistles all around her but there was just the one voice that stood out to her.

"Wow, now that is something I like to see."

"And why is that Natey?" Brooke spun round to face him and grinned as his eyes widened when he saw her top.

"Well, 'cos I'm looking at the most beautiful girl in school, and she's mine, which makes me the luckiest guy in the world." Brooke heard someone furiously coughing in the background and Jake trying desperately to calm his girlfriend down. Brooke was sure she could make out the words 'Baby, you think I'm the most beautiful girl in school don't you?'. Brooke ignored this, beamed and jumped into his arms. She suddenly stiffened in his arms.

"Hey Natey? What about my intelligent wit, intelligence full stop, fabulous sense of style, lovely personality…"

"Baby, if I was making a list, then I'd have to go on all day." Brooke smiled her all star smile.

"I love it when I make you smile Brooke." Brooke stiffened in his arms for the second time, yet this time she was worried. That sounded too much like the letter she had just stashed away. The memory of the letter came flooding back into her mind. "Brooke, you okay? What have I said?" Brooke smiled bravely.

"Nothing baby, you just made realise how lucky I am to have you." The guilt washed over Brooke in violent torrents. How could she be thinking of some other guy who she'd never met before and the only contact they'd aver had was a couple of words on a piece of paper? How could she be thinking of him when she had the sweetest guy standing holding her in his arms?

"You're wrong Brooke you know. You're the one who's too good for me." Nathan whispered into Brooke's ear. She had to fight furiously for the tears not to start flowing. She obviously didn't try hard enough though as a single tear trailed down her cheek. Nathan mistook this as a sign of happiness and soothed her with calming words. Brooke couldn't explain it though, she hadn't actually done anything wrong; she'd received a letter, something people did all the time.

For some reason however Brooke felt as though what she was doing to him was much worse than what he'd ever done to her.

Nathan didn't mean to do what he did to her, it was his past which he couldn't escape from. After loving Nathan for so long she could tell. When he had said he was turning into Dan, she saw wild yet fearful eyes staring at her and his body started to quiver. Later, when she told him that he could never be Dan, she saw the little boy inside of him escape into the open, so scared of what he could be capable of without knowing it.

Brooke clung onto Nathan as though he was her life-ring which was stopping her from drowning. Only when he prised her off him did she let go.

"Come on pretty girl, we need to get to class." Brooke could tell Nathan knew something was wrong but he didn't press it any further and she was grateful for that. "Okay, here we are at your lesson, I'll see you at lunch." Brooke started to wander into the classroom, "Oh, and Brooke, I love you."

Brooke turned around and flung herself into his arms.

"I love you too Nathan, I really really do."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Brooke couldn't concentrate on learning about German between the Wars. All she could think about was the letter. And the sender. Any time she found a guy looking at her, she'd jump, and then quickly try to regain control of her senses. So far there was no-one she could even imagine sending her a love letter- not the kind she had received in any case. And so Brooke was very happy when her 2 hour history class finally ended.

Brooke slowly walked down the corridor, trying to acknowledge the people greeting her left, right and centre, though she was certain she wasn't doing a very good job of it. A bouncy voice interrupted her day dream…

"And what is it that Brooke could possibly think about that would make her scatter people to all corners of the corridor." Brooke blushed – she really hadn't been paying attention.

"I…um… was just…. Thinking about Germany between the Wars…" Brooke said the first thing that came into her head, but she soon realised that it wasn't very convincing due to Peyton's raised eyebrows.

"You sure? I'd say myself that there was a distinct possibility you were thining about Nathan…"

"Oh yeah, you got me good there P. Sawyer," Brooke sighed, why couldn't she ever think of the most obvious answer for an easier life? After all, she'd have to have a personality transplant if she was actually thinking about History when she was walking the halls. Peyton smiled knowingly, not knowing that she didn't really know what was going on, if that made sense.

"Well, I think we'd better go find our boys, god knows what they've been getting up to since we've been gone…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It turned out that the boys were just eating, however in such a disgusting manner that Brooke and Peyton thought about finishing their relationships there and then. Of course, when their Beydar was switched on, they magically started to eat like proper gentleman, or at least with a knife and fork. Brooke and Peyton sat down next to the two of them. Both of the boys looked sheepish, and with the promise of presents, Brooke and Peyton let them off. After they'd all finished eating, Nathan led Brooke onto a grassy bank just outside the school.

"Brooke, I know our time together has been rough, but I want you to know that I am not going to let anything come in between us again, and I will protect you with my life," Brooke felt tears come to her eyes- it was turning out to be quite an emotional day – " And I also want you to know that I love you, and I will always love you."

Brooke couldn't help the tears start falling down her cheeks this time, and he held her to him. Brooke didn't realise it at the time, but in fact, this was the only time since she received that letter when she hadn't thought about it.

Now it was only her and Nathan.

"I love you too Natey,"

"I just wanted you to know, and I also never want you to forget it."

"I won't, I promise you that I won't."

Brooke didn't know whether this promise was more for him, or for her.

Because she didn't know how bad things could possibly get.

Or when those letters were going to stop.

If they were going to stop.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So there we go, the first letter!

Please review………………xxx


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